Ottawa is the capital of Canada, and the Parliament buildings are among the finest buildings in the world. Just to look at them makes one think of kings and queens and all sorts of grandeur. We found it hard to imagine that a little over a century ago, terrible Indian massacres were taking place here. The Hurons and Algonquins used to come down the Ottawa river with their canoes loaded with furs, and the cruel Iroquois used to lie in wait to torture them in order to get those pelts. Montreal, on the St. Lawrence, is another beautiful city. Here we saw great ocean steamers unloading freight from all parts of the earth. The harbor of Montreal was the first port in the world to be lighted with electricity, so that the loading of steamers can go on by night as well as by day. They put in as many hours as possible, for during four months of the year the river is frozen so that no commerce can go on. In the old Chateau de Ramezay, which used to be the governor's residence, were signed the papers which made the colony an English instead of a French one. A hundred and seventy two miles beyond Montreal lies Quebec. No, it does not "lie," for it stands way up on a high bluff above the St. Lawrence. This bluff is called the Citadel and is one of the strongest fortresses in the world. It is sometimes called "the Gibraltar of the Western Hemisphere." Quebec is divided into two parts called the "Lower Town" and the "Upper Town," so that the city seems to have an upstairs and a downstairs. You can climb up or down through some queer, crooked, narrow street like Mountain Street or Breakneck Stairs, or can ride in a big "lift" which is the English word for elevator. The Lower town is very picturesque and artists like it, but we boys think the Upper town is much more cheerful and beautiful. We often read of walled cities, but until we saw the ruins of the old wall in Quebec, we had never seen a walled city. [Illustration: Chateau de Ramezay MONTREAL The Citadel QUEBEC Old City Wall QUEBEC Parliament Hill OTTAWA Old Street QUEBEC] We are visiting Aunt Penelope who lives in a part of Boston which is called the "Back Bay." The waters of the bay used to roll right where her house stands, but by filling in with earth the Bostonians made the land and some of the finest buildings in the city stand on this "made land." We can see the golden dome of the State House from our window and in walking over to see the building we went through the Public Garden. It seems like a magical spot, for yesterday the flower beds were filled with violets and crocuses, and today those are gone and tulips are in their places. When these begin to fade, other blooming plants will be set out.